how long should you stay in the lower rep ranges

[Matthew]

I want to live primarily in strength-focused programs for the next while. My question is this:

Is it ok to stick with low rep work (1-6) for months or even years at a time? Or would it be better to work with low reps for a few months and then avoid low reps for a while before going back?

I'm not concerned with being the most 'well-rounded' gym goer, but at the same time I don't want my programs to have any negative side effects.

The goal of course would be to gain strength, and lots of it. Some speed work would make an appearance every so often also.

If I should take occasional breaks from the low rep work, how long before I could go back? What negative effects would not taking a break from low rep work have on my body?

Any suggestions on how I should set up the next couple years of my life in the weightroom would be more than appreciated. Thanks guys.

[Alcoholiday]

i hadly ever do high rep stuff. all of my stuff for the past few years have been in the lower rep ranges. But, i also do a crapload of high rep work as well for warmups, and for some assistance stuff.

If your goal is strength, you need to train for it, so stick to lower reps for benching and squatting and pulling. If you feel beat up, deload and do higher reps for a week or so.

[Kevin T.]

Tony's new article at T-Nation covers this topic really well.

[Matthew]

It's a good article, and it does cover why you should work with lower reps. But it doesn't answer my questions.
This is the only relevant part:

That being said, you should limit your training sessions at 90%+ to seven to nine PER MONTH. Beginner and intermediate lifters could probably get away with more sessions per week above 90%, but as one gets more "advanced" twice per week is plenty.

Which is very useful, but again, doesn't answer my questions above.

[Q.]

I stayed in low-rep-land for about a year and it has been hard as hell to regain what little aerobic capacity I had before. This is a legit health concern IMHO because true fitness comes from balance. If strength is all you want, go for it. Over the long haul, however, I'd recommend a balanced program. I think it does impact things like blood pressure and, like I said, is a part of general fitness. As to how often to change the program, I think that's more of an individual thing so I would think changing things up every few months for just a short period would suffice. You are young enough to retain your aerobic capacity probably a lot better than me.

[Frank.S]

Lifting really isnt that areobic anyway...

Staying in lower rep ranges is fine, but still do some stuff in higher rep ranges. no matter what sport you are doing hypertrophy in certain areas is good.

[Lost Dog]

Originally Posted by mAtThEw

I want to live primarily in strength-focused programs for the next while. My question is this:

Is it ok to stick with low rep work (1-6) for months or even years at a time? Or would it be better to work with low reps for a few months and then avoid low reps for a while before going back?

You can do low reps forever, as long as you have breaks or backoff weeks. Whatever you want to call them.

Originally Posted by mAtThEw

If I should take occasional breaks from the low rep work, how long before I could go back? What negative effects would not taking a break from low rep work have on my body?

By not taking breaks or slowing down, changing reps, sets, loads, you risk overuse injuries, primarily. Plus, since muscle can grown faster than connective tissues, you can have issues with the joints, as the muscles outpace the tendons and ligaments.

EC Offseason Training Manual is primarily about strenght, but it's routines have quite a mix of rep/set ranges in each workout, plus plenty of cycling involved.

There's no really good reason to live in the low rep ranges. You use low reps for some lifts, early in the lifting session, then move to secondary exercises with more reps.

Take a look at some of the strength/powerlifting focused routines over at elitefts.com, too.

But, if you really looking to plan things out a few years, I'd look at EC's manual. It covers the "off season." I don't know if you have a season... But, you could still map out a plan, using the manual. Make what you want of your "season." Whether it's a totally different approach to training, a sport and supporting training for that, or whatever. It's a great manual.

[GqArtguy]

Just because youre training for strength doesnt mean you have to stay in low rep ranges all the time.

[gobbla]

untill it doesn't work anymore

[Matthew]

LD - I would still be taking 'backoff weeks'. When I asked if it would be ok to not take a break from low reps I meant would it be ok to continue building my workouts around low reps as opposed to high reps, even if I've been working with low reps for a long time. I know the wording was a bit awkward, sorry for the miscommunication.

LD still - I saw some other members talking about the Off Season Training Manual a while back and thought of trying it out, but I don't have that kind of money right now, and I can't see myself spending that much on a single book in the next year or so. I'm actually counting on my parents to get me some good reading material for my birthday/christmas, but I could get three books for the same price. I'm not doubting the quality of this book at all, but really, which is a better deal?

I guess I don't need to 'live' in the low rep ranges, that may have been an overstatement on my part. I really just want to focus on building my absolute strength, which I guess I just assumed involves working primarily in the low rep ranges.

I went onto elitefts.com and a lot of articles caught my eye. I will go through all of them soon, but it will be a slow process (phys and anatomy tests this week, two essays, and a powerpoint assignment all for my enjoyment). Thanks for posting that site.

Should I start on a kind of beginners powerlifting program, or just stick to regular strength programs? I still have two of the strength phases from NROL to go through, so I guess I'm planning for about 2.5 months from now.

Thanks guys.

[Matthew]

This program was on that elitefts site that Lost Dog posted. What do you guys think of doing this after finishing Strength 3 of NROL?

note: I have absolutely no idea what the author was trying to do with that last chart. Anyone know how to read that (and incorporate the rules listed underneath it)?

[Lisa~]

That looks like a good choice to me Matthew.

The last chart is showing the set and rep schemes for your first lift of the day on the first row of the chart. All the other lifts for that day are supplementary or accessary, so they have the same sets and reps each time.

For example. Day 1, Week 1, you'll do squats for 10 sets of 2 reps at 60% of your 1RM. Then on Day 1 of Week 2 you'll do squats for 5 sets of 6 reps with 70% of your 1RM (but the pullovers are still 4x8 with no load specified).

Can you see it now?

[Lost Dog]

That last chart is a 17 week program to do after the first two charts have been completed.

For Day 1, the first blank column is a squat at 10x2 at 60% of your 1 rep max. The other four exercises are 4x8 and 5x5.

The rules, below are the guidelines for that chart. It tells you how to change the reps around from week to week, etc.

[Lost Dog]

She's faster than I am.

What she said...

[Lisa~]

Originally Posted by Lost Dog

She's faster than I am.

What she said...

[Matthew]

In my country, they would go crazy for these two. High five!

Seriously though, thanks a lot. You're always ready and willing to help, and you always do. That goes for everyone on this forum, you all rock in your own special way.

Thanks again.

[Blackjack]

"The best workout is the one you're not doing."

Originally Posted by Frank.S

Lifting really isnt that areobic anyway...

Staying in lower rep ranges is fine, but still do some stuff in higher rep ranges. no matter what sport you are doing hypertrophy in certain areas is good.

Frank has obviously never done any of Alwyn's or Craig's Fat Loss workouts.